System for sorting a subdivided plate workpiece

Abstract

A workpiece subdivided into a plurality of pieces ordered in closely juxtaposed rows is deposited on a stripping tray at an upstream end of a longitudinal path with the rows extending generally perpendicular to the direction and then an upstream edge of the tray carrying the subdivided workpiece is positioned above an upper surface of one of a plurality of distributing units spaced longitudinally along the path and a stripping bar vertically closely juxtaposed with the tray and extending transversely across the tray immediately downstream of the subdivided workpiece is shifted into engagement with the leading edge of the subdivided workpiece on the tray to slide the trailing row of pieces off the tray onto the surface positioned thereunder. The tray is then displaced downstream and stopped with its trailing edge above each of the other distributing units thereon and the deposition step is repeated to deposit on each of the units a respective row of the pieces. Immediately after each unit receives the respective row of pieces, its upper surface is vertically shifted from an upper position immediately beneath the level of the stripping tray to a lower position and then the upper surface is shifted transversely to displace at least one of the respective row of pieces transversely and transfer same to respective longitudinally spaced takeoff conveyors adjacent the path and having upper surfaces at the lower level.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for sorting individual pieces of a subdivided plate workpiece from one another and for delivering the individual pieces to respective different destinations, the apparatus comprising: a stripping tray displaceable in a longitudinal direction along a distributing path between an upstream end and a downstream end;   means for depositing on the stripping tray a workpiece subdivided into a plurality of pieces ordered in closely juxtaposed transverse rows extending generally perpendicular to the direction;   a stripping bar vertically closely juxtaposed with the tray and extending transversely across the tray immediately downstream of the subdivided workpiece;   a plurality of distributing units spaced longitudinally along the path and each having an upper surface positioned in an upper position immediately beneath the level of the stripping tray, the stripping tray being displaceable past and over the distributing units;   a plurality of longitudinally spaced takeoff conveyors adjacent the path and having upper surfaces, the upper surfaces of the distributing units being alignable with the upper surfaces of the respective takeoff conveyors;   actuator means for relatively longitudinally displacing the tray and the stripping bar for engaging the stripping bar against the leading edge of the leading and furthest downstream transverse row of pieces and for pushing the subdivided workpiece on the tray toward and past the trailing upstream edge of the stripping tray, whereby when the upstream tray end is above one of the distributing-unit upper surfaces the upstream and trailing row of pieces is thereby deposited thereon;   control means for connection to the stripping tray, bar, units, conveyors, and actuator means for positioning the upstream edge of the stripping tray above the upper surfaces of the units and thereafter relatively displacing the tray and bar to push the upstream transverse rows off onto the unit upper surfaces; and   means in the units for displacing the respective upper surfaces toward the takeoff conveyors after deposition of rows of pieces thereon for moving the respective rows of pieces from the units to the conveyors.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the upper surfaces of the takeoff conveyors are lower than the upper surfaces of the units in the upper position, the unit upper surfaces being displaceable into a lower position level with the surfaces of the conveyors, the units comprising means connected to the control means for displacing the respective upper surfaces into the lower positions after receiving a row of the pieces. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein for at least one of the distributing units there are a plurality of such takeoff conveyors and the one distributing unit is displaceable longitudinally between positions aligned transversely with the respective takeoff conveyors, the apparatus further comprising actuator means connected to the control means and to the one distributing unit to align same with the respective takeoff conveyors and move the upper surface of the one unit to move the respective pieces one each to the respective takeoff conveyors. 
     
     
       4. A method of sorting individual pieces of a subdivided plate workpiece from one another and for delivering the individual pieces to respective different destinations, the apparatus comprising: (a) depositing on a stripping tray at an upstream end of a longitudinal path a workpiece subdivided into a plurality of pieces ordered in closely juxtaposed transverse rows extending generally perpendicular to the direction;   (b) positioning an upstream edge of the tray carrying the subdivided workpiece above an upper surface of one of a plurality of distributing units spaced longitudinally along the path and then shifting a stripping bar vertically closely juxtaposed with the tray and extending transversely across the tray immediately downstream of the subdivided workpiece into engagement with the leading edge of the subdivided workpiece on the tay to slide the trailing row of pieces off the tray onto the surface positioned thereunder;   (c) displacing the tray downstream and stopping it with its trailing edge above each of the other distributing units thereon and repeating step (b) to deposit on each of the units a respective row of the pieces; and   (d) immediately after each unit receives the respective row of pieces, vertically shifting the upper surface of each unit from an upper position immediately beneath the level of the stripping tray to a lower position and then shifting the upper surface transversely to displace at least one of the respective row of pieces transversely and transfer same to respective longitudinally spaced takeoff conveyors adjacent the path and having upper surfaces at the lower level.   
     
     
       5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein for at least one of the distributing units there are a plurality of such longitudinally spaced takeoff conveyors, the method further comprising the steps of: (e) transferring only a single piece of the respective row from the one unit onto one of the respective conveyors;   (f) thereafter longitudinally displacing the one unit to another of the respective conveyors and transferring the next piece of the respective row thereto; and   (g) repeating step (f) with each of the succeeding respective conveyors until all of the respective pieces have been transferred to respective conveyors.